


Not Built for the Cold

by SourWolf



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 01:50:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1801030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SourWolf/pseuds/SourWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jackson doesn't do cold well even as a werewolf, and Scott finally figures out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Built for the Cold

  
As it turned out, Jackson wasn’t a fan of the cold. He didn’t have the body for it. All lean muscle and a complete lack of fat made coping with below freezing temperatures difficult for the lacrosse star. But it was made easier when he joined Scott’s pack. The true alpha always made room for his betas.

There were no questions asked when Jackson showed up at Scott’s window, let himself in, stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed next to Scott. Not a word said when he rolled onto his side and pressed his nose into his alpha’s shoulder. It had become a signal, that simple little gesture, for Scott to roll onto his side and pull Jackson against his chest, for strong arms to wrap around the beta and pull him into the warmth and safety of the pack he’d been drawn into.

But that wasn’t how Scott found out about Jackson’s hatred of the cold. That had happened entirely by accident. It had been a particularly cold day, only made worse by the rain that had passed through town the night before. Because of the wet conditions, coach was just making them do sprints instead of his usual brutal practices.

Unbeknownst to the whole team until it was too late, the grass had disguised a large puddle in lush green. Jackson had always been incredibly fast, his body was built for the speed and becoming a werewolf had only enhanced that. He was first and the only one to reach the puddle, his feet slipping from underneath him.

Scott briefly thought how fun that might look had it only been summer. There was a slip ‘n slide effect that sent Jackson downfield about twenty extra yards. It was a pretty awesome and elegant faceplant in Scott’s mind.

Scott pushed through their cackling teammates, everyone keeping their laughter down because, after all, this was Jackson Whittemore. The most popular guy in school held the power to ruin lives if he really wanted to.

The alpha went to Jackson, helping him up despite Jackson’s directionless rage. It was the only thing keeping his beta from turning blue. Already, there was a blue tint to his fingertips. Scott grabbed Jackson by the collar of his shirt, dragging him away by the scruff as he yelled at the team and raged against the alpha’s grip.

The yelling had stopped and the beta was shivering hard by the time they made it to the locker room. His lips and ears had turned blue in that time and Scott was pulling the wet clothes off quickly, pulling him to the shower where they could get him warmed up a little faster.

"Scott, stop. I’m fine." He snapped, pulling away from the alpha.

"You’re not fine, you’re turning blue." Scott snapped back, forcing him into the showers.

"It just happens when I get cold. It’s not a big deal."

"Not a big deal is shivering a little. Not a big deal is teeth chattering. A big deal is turning colors and not warming back up." Scott pushed Jackson under the warm water.

Something had changed between them after that incident. They still fought constantly, some things never changed, but the tone of their arguments had shifted. Instead of the fights ending in one storming away from the other, instead of them ending with the smug grin of victory, they would end with amicable teasing and friendly banter.

After a few weeks of Jackson slipping into his window to keep warm, he made the executive decision that everyone needed a day at the beach. So, he packed up Stiles’ jeep and they all piled into their vehicles and headed towards the coast, aiming farther south a few hours because it was still warm there.

They settled in the first night, having arrived too late to really enjoy the beach. And despite the air being warm, despite the crowded little beach house they rented, despite Stiles having called the bed with Scott, it was Jackson’s body that fitted against his own when it was finally time to get to sleep. And SCott didn’t fight it. In fact, a grin curled his lips as he wrapped himself around his co-captain and beta. 

"Aww, dude, come on! I called the bed!" Stiles complained, jabbing Jackson in the ribs with a long finger.

"Yeah, well, I’m not moving. Suck it up and get in or take the floor for all I care." Jackson snapped back.

"Seriously, Scott? Seriously? One of these days we’re going to have a really, really long talk about your life choices. I mean, Allison was a great choice - fantastic - but now you’re shacking up with assholes? Not cool." He complained as he climbed onto the bed out of sheer stubbornness.

"WOAH!!!" Stiles yelled as he hit the floor with a thud.

"Jackson."

"He’s clumsy and he flails all the time. He probably kicked himself out."

Scott sighed and rolled onto his back, tossing extra pillows down to Stiles. Jackson didn’t seem to mind, he just repositioned to lay half on top of the alpha and Stiles grumbled about how things were just going to escalate. Next it’d be Harris and then even Peter. Slippery slopes. Slippery slopes.

When the sun rose the next day, Scott was the last to rise. It didn’t often happen that way, but Scott had been exhausted.

He got changed and had a little breakfast before following the others out to the beach. It was late in the season so there weren’t many people at the beach. Stiles was pestering Derek and Lydia about being too cool to participate in beach activities, Isaac and Ethan were competing to build the best sandcastle, Malia and Kira were playing around on a couple little body boards.

And then there were Jackson and Danny.  They were out in the surf, bobbing with the flow of the waves. and joking with each other as they sat on their boards waited for the right one to come.

And suddenly, Jackson broke off from Danny, paddling himself quickly ahead of a wave. The water swelled, arching, whitecaps threatening to break the wave and quickly receding as the time wasn’t right.

And then Jackson stood on his surfboard, navigating the water skillfully. Effortlessly, he guided the board, showboating for the people on the beach watching - for Scott. He hopped off the board as the waters got too shallow, having ridden the wave all the way in to the beach. Tucking the board under his arm, he walked up to Scott with a smirk on his face.

And Scott understood why Jackson couldn’t stand the cold. Jackson and Danny both belonged somewhere like this, with warm waves and a warmer beach under a bright sun where they could hone their elements. 

"See something you like, McCall?"

He did. He definitely did.


End file.
